Particular Airframe Assignment

[USAR153D]

At what stage in flight school do you get assigned to a particular airframe and what dictates which one you are assigned to?

[Mymm]

Once you complete Basic Warfighting Skills or BWS you select your airframe.

 

What they do is send up to army how many folks they have, it's broken down in Warrants and O grade officers. Obviously it's only for active duty folks as guard already know.

 

Then it's based on the OML or Order of Merits List, it's made of of combined scores from check rides, academics and PT. Some events are weighted more than others. The Army says how many of each are available and #1 on the OML picks and it goes from there.

 

Usually there is around 10-15 active warrants, a typical spread would be something like

 

2 OH58

1 CH47

5 UH60

6 AH64

 

Those are not exact numbers obviously but it's usually close to that, 58's and 47's being the most challenging to get, 58's go fast!

 

I should be selecting myself here in the next week or so, depending on the bloody weather messing with my BWS checkride.

[USAR153D]

Once you complete Basic Warfighting Skills or BWS you select your airframe.

 

What they do is send up to army how many folks they have, it's broken down in Warrants and O grade officers. Obviously it's only for active duty folks as guard already know.

 

Then it's based on the OML or Order of Merits List, it's made of of combined scores from check rides, academics and PT. Some events are weighted more than others. The Army says how many of each are available and #1 on the OML picks and it goes from there.

 

Usually there is around 10-15 active warrants, a typical spread would be something like

 

2 OH58

1 CH47

5 UH60

6 AH64

 

Those are not exact numbers obviously but it's usually close to that, 58's and 47's being the most challenging to get, 58's go fast!

 

I should be selecting myself here in the next week or so, depending on the bloody weather messing with my BWS checkride.

 

 

Oh wow that's awesome! Congrats. I find myself hoping I'll get an AH-64. Once you're in school and you learn how to fly do you find that most people who want to get in an Apache change their mind?

[Mymm]

Honestly people change their mind on pretty much a daily basis.

 

When I first got here it was 64, no question. After a few months I really wanted hawks, now I'm back to wanting 64's. Quite a few people like that.

 

You just start thinking less about how "cool" the aircraft is and more about what you should be and that's the mission. What do you really want to be doing for your career. So many good and bad things about each of them. Usually you sort out what you want by the time you select...I think...

[USAR153D]

Honestly people change their mind on pretty much a daily basis.

 

When I first got here it was 64, no question. After a few months I really wanted hawks, now I'm back to wanting 64's. Quite a few people like that.

 

You just start thinking less about how "cool" the aircraft is and more about what you should be and that's the mission. What do you really want to be doing for your career. So many good and bad things about each of them. Usually you sort out what you want by the time you select...I think...

 

 

Haha good 2 go..

 

So prepare to change my mind a million times...gotcha...oh yeah i forgot once I finally pick one I still shouldn't get my hopes up because that doesn't mean it'll be available! LOL

[palmfish]

I started in the OH-58, then flew Hueys, then Cobras, back to 58's, and then finished my career in the Chinook.

 

If you're not happy with your aircraft assignment, don't worry, you'll get a transition sooner or later if you want one.

 

BTW, aeroscouts are the best pilots and have the best mission...

[USAR153D]

I started in the OH-58, then flew Hueys, then Cobras, back to 58's, and then finished my career in the Chinook.

 

If you're not happy with your aircraft assignment, don't worry, you'll get a transition sooner or later if you want one.

 

BTW, aeroscouts are the best pilots and have the best mission...

 

Good to know that transitions are available eventually..thanks

[CharyouTree]

Once you complete Basic Warfighting Skills or BWS you select your airframe.

 

What they do is send up to army how many folks they have, it's broken down in Warrants and O grade officers. Obviously it's only for active duty folks as guard already know.

 

Then it's based on the OML or Order of Merits List, it's made of of combined scores from check rides, academics and PT. Some events are weighted more than others. The Army says how many of each are available and #1 on the OML picks and it goes from there.

 

Usually there is around 10-15 active warrants, a typical spread would be something like

 

2 OH58

1 CH47

5 UH60

6 AH64

 

Those are not exact numbers obviously but it's usually close to that, 58's and 47's being the most challenging to get, 58's go fast!

 

I should be selecting myself here in the next week or so, depending on the bloody weather messing with my BWS checkride.

 

 

Don't forget that you'll be selecting with your sister flight, and your OMLs will be intermingled.

[FLHooker]

Mymm,

 

Congrats on getting to that stage.. it's definitely exciting for the Active Duty guys to find out what they are gonna fly.

 

 

Changing your mind on the airframe is like a way of life at Rucker. The fact remains, they are all bad ass in their own right. I LOVE the chinook, and wouldn't trade it, while others don't want to be seen within 100 yards of one.

58's and 47's are certainly the hardest to get, just due to the fact that they are the smallest communities inside of the Army Aviation. There are only about 425 chinooks in the entire Army Inventory, and about 35 of those bad boys are there at Rucker. The class directly behind mine was almost all Apache slots, with not a single 58 or 47 slot. Sometimes, it's just the luck of the draw.

 

 

Best of luck,

 

CHAD